Game board



Jan. 2, 1934. v, EF'F R 1,942,291

GAME BOARD Filed April 4, 1932 -2 Sheets-Sheet; l

6: V efferd oamvzm'on Jan. 2, 1934.

G. V. JEFFERSON GAME BOARD Filed A riI 4, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 15:51Ba:

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12 S v affefl fafl uvzu'ron BY w 335M162 l atented Jan. 2, 1934 umiaoSTATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My present invention has reference to a game board or apparatus and hasfor its primary object the provision of a device of this character inwhich the players are not only amused but are 5 mystified to a certainextent.

A further object is the provision of a game board designed to be used bytwo players and is in the nature of a combat between such players, theboard comprising two similar members or plates each having longitudinaland vertical series of round openings therethrough, the openings in oneof the plates being disposed opposite those in the other plate, andarranged between these plates there is another plate provided with smallopenings or apertures disposed opposite but away from the center of thefirst-named openings, the last mentioned plate having arranged thereovera centrally folded blank sheet of paper which covers the aperturestherein but which sheet is clearly visible through the round openings inthe outer plates. This allows each of the players to mark on theopposite sides of the paper lines representing battleships, theindicating lines being arranged either vertically, horizontally orangularly and the representation of the vessels on one side of thedevice being unknown to the player at the opposite sides of the device.One player is first allowed a determined number of game pieces which arein the nature of rods that have their opposite ends pointed. This playerendeavors to sink his opponents ships by forcing his game pieces firstthrough the rounded opening on the outer plate of his side of the deviceto direct the game pieces through the paper sheet and through theapertures of the inner plate, the player on the opposite side of thedevice withdrawing the partly projected game pieces and employing thesame for his own use whenit becomes his turn to play the game. Oneof-the players serves as umpire and may inform the active player of theaccuracy of his shots" and the player who sinks the largest numberofenemy ships wins the game. To the attainment of the foregoingtheinvention consists in the improvement hereinafter described anddefinitely claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a game board inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof. Figure 3 is a sectional view onthe line 3--3 of Figure 1. i

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the game pieces.

The body of the device comprises two similar preferably metal plates 1which are arranged back to back, the game being played from the oppo- 60site faces of the body. Each plate 1 has its edges flanged outwardly, asat 2, and these flanges are continued along the outwardly directedangularly disposed trough-like base 3 of the said plates. The baseportions 3 effectively support the device on a horizontal surface. Therespective plates, adjacent to the lower base portions thereof areloosely connected by a rivet or like ele ment 4 and the plates 1 areforced toward each other by coiled compression springs 5 whose ends arehooked and are received in the notches or openings in the lower andwidened ends of the side flanges 2. On their upper corners the plates 1have a series of reduced openings 6 employed for registering the scoresof the players, as will hereinafter be more fullyexplained.

The plates 1 are each provided with a plurality of both longitudinallyand vertically arranged series of spaced alining round openings 7.

Arranged between the plates 1 and connected so by the rivets 4 there isa thin board or metal sheet 8 which is provided with a series of spacedpairs of apertures 9 and two of these apertures 9 are arranged withineach of the circles described by the round openings 6in the plates 1.

The loose connecting rivets 4 serve as hinges forthe plates 1, so thatthe plates, from the up per end thereof, may be swung away from eachother and preferably the rivets 4 engage with the inner plate or sheet 8with suiflcient friction to hold the said plate in a vertical positionwhen the body plates 1 are swung to open position. when in open positionI insert between the plates 1 and over the central plate 8 a centrallyfolded paper sheet 10. This sheet covers and obscures the apertures inthe central plate 8. The sheet 10, of course, is designed to bediscarded after every game.

In the playing the game pieces, in the natur of rods 11, which havetheir ends pointed, as at 12, are employed, and a certain number ofthese game pieces are allotted to one of the players. The game piecesare normally placed in the respective troughs 3, and the players arrangethemselves on the opposite sides of the playing board. Each player markswith a chalk or pencil upon the opposite sides of the paper sheet 10,through the openings 6 in the respective plates 1 straight lines toindicate diagrams of battleships of a fleet. Thelines or diagramsindicating 1 the war ships may be drawn horizontally, vertically orangularly so as to arrange the-said lines to cover any desired number ofapertures 9, The lines, of course, may be drawn over the openings 6 inthe plates, and obviously the lines are arranged in different positions.The lines or diagrams drawn by one of the players is not observable bythe other players so that each of the respective players acts as umpireplayer during the playing of the game.

for the other One of the players is entitled to a determined number ofgame pieces 11 and he endeavors to direct his game pieces through thepaper sheet and through the openings 9 in the intermediate plate 8 thatare surrounded by the warship lines or diagrams on the second side ofthe folded sheet 10. If the player pierces the paper at points occupiedby the diagrams theships represented thereby are supposed to be sunk.The'game pieces penetrating the openings will be observed and announcedby the player who awaits his turn and his opponent marks his score onthe sheet 10 at the portions thereof disclosed by the pierced apertures9. The pierced portion of the sheet at the apertures 9 guide the playerin his fur.- ther moves in playing the game. When the sec-. ond' playerhas his turn (after the first player has made use of a determined numberof game pieces) and has marked his score, the second player employs thesame method as the first player in piercing the diagrams drawn by thefirst player on his side; of the board, and the one who first sinks theenemy ships wins the game.

Having described the invention I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising two plates pivotally connected adjacentto one of their ends and spring influenced toward each other, saidplates being provided with series of both vertically over theintermediate and horizontally arranged round openings, and havingapertures at the upper corners, an intermediate plate held centrallybetween the outer plates by the pivots for said outer plates and saidcentral plate having a plurality of apertures in register with each ofthe openings in the outer plates, and sheet arranged over cover theapertures therethrough, together with game pieces having double pointedends to be employed by the players and to be guided through the openingsin the outer plates to' penetrate the paper sheet and to be passedthrough the apertures in the intermediate plate at points upon whichbattle ships are inscribed on the paper and the apertures on the outerplates atlording means for inscribing thescores of the players on thepaper sheet.

a centrally folded paper the intermediate plate to 2. In a gameapparatus of the type described,.

two plates arranged backto back, and having their edges provided withcontinuous flanges and their lower portions formed with outwardlydirected angularly disposed portions afiording troughs, pivots looselyconnecting the lower ends of the plates, compression springs connectedto the flanges above the troughs, for forcing the plates together, saidplates having a series of longitudinal and vertical round openingsthereihr'ough and having a series of apertures at the upper corners ofsaid plates, an intermediate plate held between the first-named platesby the pivots, said plate having series of apertures arranged in pairsand said pairs of apertures being disposed opposite the round openingsin the outer plate, a centrally folded paper sheet arranged plate tocover the openings therein, and game pieces in the nature of doublepointed darts to pierce said paper sheet.

I GLENN V. JEFFERSON.

